Upgrade time before Black Friday

[shaggyd]

Recently made redundant, but start a new job on Monday. I have a Nikon D3200 that was a stop gap replacement after my D7000 died last year. I have a few lenses for the Nikon, Tokina 11-16mm DX; Nikon 50mm AF-D; Tamron SP90 macro; Nikon 55-200 ED 5.4 and usual Nikon 18-55 kit lens.
I suffer lower back problems and recently, knee problems, especially when using the camera on tripod, mounted at low level for landscape photography.
I would love to upgrade to the D810 for it's fx superiority and extra sharpness, to take my landscape photography to another level...
However...
With my ailments, I have been keen on the D750, due to its flip screen and the Expeed 4 processor which does produce richer images, compared to the dead D7000.
But...
Recently out and about in Llanberis at a famous tree view of Llyn Padarn spot, I bumped into another photographer who sported the new Pentax K1!! All the specs of a D810 (except K1 has less and slower autofocus points) at the price of a D750..
After a bit of a play with his shiny Pentax, I was hooked, especially with its' robust swivel tilt screen.

So..

What should I do...?

1. Sell all my Nikon kit and get the Pentax K1 and a 24-70 lens for the price of a D810 body?
2.Get the D750 and 24-120 lens kit, for the same price as the D810?
3. Or just get the D810 and slowly replace my lenses when I can afford it.

Hope to buy this weekend, before wife blows my money on housey things...
Cheers..

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

For landscape photography having the extra megapixels will be useful and so will the pixelshift functionality if you have a tripod. You also have additional functionality like the Astrotracer and horizon correction which will be useful too(especially if you want to try out long exposures). Since you are doing more landscape photography the K1 will be good for that - if you were doing more action related stuff or more telephoto work,I would probably stick with Nikon.

Another thing the K1 is another level of build quality compared to the D750 - the shutter itself is rated for 300000 shots,and the D750 for half that,and around 200000 for the D810.

To put it in context the shutter rating of the K1 is closer to that of the D5 which is at 400000. You are basically buying the best dSLR Pentax has,and it has the build to match.

I suffer lower back problems and recently, knee problems, especially when using the camera on tripod, mounted at low level for landscape photography.

The swivel screen will help,as the D810 has a fixed screen,and even though I love my D600 the fixed screen can be a pain. The D750 will be the other alternative,since it also a flip screen,but has lower MP.

Spoiler

The mounting mechanism on the K1 is very strong - people have even picked the camera up from the screen.

My viewpoint,how you feel about the camera is the most important thing - if the Pentax feels right for you,then you are going to enjoy using it,I would buy it. If the Nikon D750 feels better buy that.

 

[D.P.]

Have a look at the Pentax lens lien up first.

Also, consider getting a second hand D800. For Landscape work you wont notice a difference to the D810.

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I would not buy the D800/D810 if the OP has issues bending down doing this:

I suffer lower back problems and recently, knee problems, especially when using the camera on tripod, mounted at low level for landscape photography.

He needs a camera with a tilt screen.

It means either the K1 or the D750. Looking at the Pentax line-up the weaknesses tend to be more at the tele end of the range.

The OP should be fine with the choices he has for landscape:

http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.uk/en/product/21280/body/overview/Photo-Lenses.html
http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.uk/en/product/21310/body/overview/Photo-Lenses.html

The 15-30MM and 24-70MM are both weathersealed.

The 15-30MM has decent flair resistance and that for me is very important for landscape photography as you might be shooting into the sun.

They get excellent reviews:

https://www.ephotozine.com/article/hd-pentax-d-fa-15-30mm-f2-8-ed-sdm-wr-review-29350
https://www.ephotozine.com/article/pentax-hd-pentax-d-fa-24-70mm-f-2-8-ed-sdm-wr-review-29349

Then you also get the Samyang/Rokinon 24MM TS lens also in Pentax mount:

https://www.ephotozine.com/article/samyang-t-s-24mm-f-3-5-ed-as-umc-lens-review-21853

Edit!!

Another thing - the Pentax also has built in VR,so it means every lens you mount will be stabilised.

 

[D.P.]

I wouldn't buy a camera with a tilt-screen, is just going to get damaged. A decent tripod and there is no need to get too low 99.99% of the time.

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

I wouldn't buy a camera with a tilt-screen, is just going to get damaged. A decent tripod and there is no need to get too low 99.99% of the time.

Well the OP said he wants to,so I don't think we should dictate the way he wants to do things and anyway the K1 screen mechanism is built like a tank and people have even lifted the camera up from the screen(!). You should probably have a look at one in real life- I have. Plus for the majority of the lifespan of the camera it will be retracted anyway but its an option the OP wants. The K1 is a bloody well built camera!!

I was seriously considering a D800,and borrowed one for a bit - the K1 is much more like a D4 or D5 in build quality.

Even the cheapest plastic bodied Pentax can be dropped on the floor,put under a tap,etc.

Also,another thing the K1 has built in GPS too and wifi. Plus the OP gets stabilisation for any lens they mount.

The reviews of the 15-30MM and 24-70MM are really decent and the former even beats the fantastic Nikon 14-24MM in a number of metrics too.

The only thing Pentax really failed on is making a better AF system for action work,but in those regards Nikon and Canon are better served anyway and he is aware of it anyway. For the stuff the OP wants though it seems the better camera.

 

[james_2k]

very happy with my d750. great camera. dont really use the tilt screen much though. handy when you want some high up shots with live view i suppose.

 

[shaggyd]

Thanks for the reply everyone. Looked at a video about the D750, the reviewer (from a well-known HK dealer) showed the tilt screen in detail, but I think that the Pentax blows it out of the water on that feature. However, I was impressed with the speed of the D750,and I am aware of it's low light capability, that is second to none.

If Nikon release a D8?0 that has a removable screen similar to the Pentax, that would be the Holy Grail, or a D760 with higher megapixel and more manoeuvrable/ robust tilt feature, then I am game.

So the choice is now D750 or Pentax K1...

..Unless a D810 drops ridiculous price on Black Friday!!

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Thanks for the reply everyone. Looked at a video about the D750, the reviewer (from a well-known HK dealer) showed the tilt screen in detail, but I think that the Pentax blows it out of the water on that feature. However, I was impressed with the speed of the D750,and I am aware of it's low light capability, that is second to none.

If Nikon release a D8?0 that has a removable screen similar to the Pentax, that would be the Holy Grail, or a D760 with higher megapixel and more manoeuvrable/ robust tilt feature, then I am game.

So the choice is now D750 or Pentax K1...

..Unless a D810 drops ridiculous price on Black Friday!!

Many of the features on the K1 are more orientated towards landscape photography. Remember it has IS built into the body meaning every lens you mount on it is stablised negating the need to even use higher ISOs at times,which is ideal for landscape work.

For instance if you were to get the Pentax 15-30MM or any similar UWA zoom,it would be stablised on the Pentax. The Nikon 14-24MM is not stablised.

Pixelshift is also very useful for static scenes too. Astrotracer is pretty awesome if you want to take some astro pictures:

http://www.digitalcamerareview.com/review/pentax-astrotracer-review-astrophotography-made-easier/

For instance when I was up north,I would have loved to have that function on my D600.

The built in GPS means you can geotag images - the D750 and D810 lacks both and need additional modules. The D810 lacks wifi which both the D750 and K1 have.

 

[Columbo]

I wouldn't buy a camera with a tilt-screen, is just going to get damaged. A decent tripod and there is no need to get too low 99.99% of the time.

Sorry thats just rubbish.

I've been using cameras with tilt screens for years and not once have I damaged one and a tilt screen is far more useful and flexible than the simple need just to get low. The reasons most camera's get broke is because of the mushy bag of water holding them but yes they are less useful on Nikon's because the Live View AF is still to this day total garbage and something Nikon need to address.

Yes if you need a particularly rugged camera for your usage type then I understand the need limit the 'breakable' bits but then such cameras probably already have fixed screens anyway.

 

[D.P.]

If I was really worried about not bending over then the tilt-screen just wouldn't cut it at all IMO, much nicer to simply tether to a smartphone or tablet and control things from there with a big screen. Its not like you can see much ftom a small tilt-screen when standing up is it. And more importantly, even if you can see your tilt screen how are you going to control focus, exposure, aperture, ISO settings etc. form standing up. You can't, so a remote tether setup makes much more sense.


Something like this:

https://www.tethertools.com/product/case-air-wireless-tethering-system/

 

[D.P.]

Sorry thats just rubbish.

I've been using cameras with tilt screens for years and not once have I damaged one and a tilt screen is far more useful and flexible than the simple need just to get low. The reasons most camera's get broke is because of the mushy bag of water holding them but yes they are less useful on Nikon's because the Live View AF is still to this day total garbage and something Nikon need to address.

Yes if you need a particularly rugged camera for your usage type then I understand the need limit the 'breakable' bits but then such cameras probably already have fixed screens anyway.

I've seen far too many broken tilt screens to ever go near them, and as above, it doesn't actually solve the problems required anyway.

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

If I was really worried about not bending over then the tilt-screen just wouldn't cut it at all IMO, much nicer to simply tether to a smartphone or tablet and control things from there with a big screen. Its not like you can see much ftom a small tilt-screen when standing up is it. And more importantly, even if you can see your tilt screen how are you going to control focus, exposure, aperture, ISO settings etc. form standing up. You can't, so a remote tether setup makes much more sense.


Something like this:

https://www.tethertools.com/product/case-air-wireless-tethering-system/

So basically adding to the cost of the D800/D810 since the item would need to be imported into the UK anyway.

The K1 has built-in wifi and GPS anyway.

I've seen far too many broken tilt screens to ever go near them, and as above, it doesn't actually solve the problems required anyway.

The K1 mounting is not like any other comparable camera - it can take the whole weight of the camera and even a heavy lens. I think you are just worrying too much.

 

[D.P.]

So basically adding to the cost of the D800/D810 since the item would need to be imported into the UK anyway.

Plenty of options without important. You don't get anything for free.

The K1 has built-in wifi and GPS anyway.

The K1 mounting is not like any other comparable camera - it can take the whole weight of the camera and even a heavy lens. I think you are just worrying too much.

Maybe it is better, but it is still no where as useful as a proper remote tethering solution that lets you actually control the camera settings

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Plenty of options without important. You don't get anything for free.





Maybe it is better, but it is still no where as useful as a proper remote tethering solution that lets you actually control the camera settings

The point is the K1 is the better camera for landscape work and this comes from someone who is pretty much wedded to Nikon now. It has all the features the OP wants and even the lenses they need.

The only reason to go for a D810 is if indeed there is some bloody great Black Friday deal.

The D810 suffers from the fact Nikon has hardly updated the the D800(D810 is a minor upgrade),and should have had a D900 by now.

Its an excellent camera but sadly the competition is getting far stronger now.

If there was a D900 now,the Pentax would not even have a look-in at all.

Even the biggest flag wearers for Nikon like Thom Hogan are getting annoyed with them and he pretty much had one of the most pro-Nikon sites ever.

 

[D.P.]

You must be trolling if you think Thom Hogan is pro-Nikon. He uses Nikon gear because that is what he has built his system around, nothing more, nothing less. He has said he would happily swap to a complete Canon setup if someone footed the bill, and he extensively uses Sony and m43 setups, often more than Nikon. He has always been extremely critical of Nikon, for god reasons. This is nothing new. Since 2003 when I started reading his website he was critical of nikon.


You also must be trolling if you the delay of a D810 successor has any real impact. How many years did Pentax users wight until they got a FF camera? People complained at Nikon , Pentax is another 5 years on top. And how many FF camera bodies does Pentax now offer exactly? If you are at all worried about development cycles and system future then Pentax is probably the worst possible camera company to look at right now. No other camera company is in such a fragile position. heck, there was such a long wait for any kind of Pentax FF solution than many Pentax fans ditched their system for fear that Pentax was pulling out of the DSLR market.


Pentax K1 or the lenses. they make very good stuff.

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

making up random stuff about Pentax

I think you are the one trolling - despite the Pentax being the better choice for the OP's needs,now you are making up nonsense about Pentax's future,etc.

First it was they didn't have a FF body,now they have and its not enough and they even have medium format cameras and its not enough. So unlike Nikon they offer both FF and medium format digital cameras. Its a moving target. The internet experts always say Pentax has no future and yet decades later seem pretty fine. I don't think even any of you have used or handled any single modern Pentax in your life.

Companies like Olympus had worse issues with the massive accounting scandal and yet you had no issue buying one of their own cameras. Plenty of the labs I worked for were worried about the company when the issue hit as they had bloody expensive Olympus based imaging systems which needed to be supported. Hiding $1.5 billion of losses is a big deal. You are panic worrying about Pentax.

I have a Nikon FF camera myself and I don't need to purchase justify it by the fact the D800/D810 are old cameras and the competition are getting better at certain things. Companies like Fuji are also creeping in and they have massive amounts of cash.

Pentax is backed by Ricoh which has 110000 employees and profits over $500 million a year. Its a massive multi-national firm. Its backed by serious money - Pentax is like pocket change for Ricoh.

Nikon is a much smaller company and unlike even Canon which has its finger in more areas,it is much less diversified. I really have a soft spot for Nikon,but the camera world is changing and you might buy them whatever they do,but as you see on this very forum people have changed over to other companies. This is why Nikon has increased ASP to compensate.

They have far more to lose from less high end camera sales than their competitors since they they rely on them more. If there was a D900 now with a D750 type screen,GPS,wifi,etc the Pentax probably would not be a consideration unless it was much cheaper. All you are doing is finding weird faults with the K1,when the OP has actually tried one himself. Its actual faults are not relevant to what he wants to do with the camera,and he is aware of them,and its advantages over the D800/D810.The D810 needs to be cheaper for what he wants to do with it.

So don't blame me for Nikon competing with an older camera - not my issue.

I am not continuing this argument with you.

 

[havocideuk]

My opinions are in regards of landscape photography.

Second hand D800 for under 1k (i own a D800 its amazing, only real differences with D810 is better high ISO performance, no AA filter and quieter shutter on the newer model, yes there are plenty more changes but no game changers).
Buy a lightweight foldable seat, I'd recommend it even if you didn't have back issues, and carry it to location, you can get all sorts of 3 legged seats that are tiny and light.

I cant really comment on lenses as I own the holy trinity and from your OP it is a bit outside of your current budget, though I do consistently read amazing things about the Rokinon/Samyang f2.8 wide angles and also the sigma arts.

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

My opinions are in regards of landscape photography.

Second hand D800 for under 1k (i own a D800 its amazing, only real differences with D810 is better high ISO performance, no AA filter and quieter shutter on the newer model, yes there are plenty more changes but no game changers).
Buy a lightweight foldable seat, I'd recommend it even if you didn't have back issues, and carry it to location, you can get all sorts of 3 legged seats that are tiny and light.

I cant really comment on lenses as I own the holy trinity and from your OP it is a bit outside of your current budget, though I do consistently read amazing things about the Rokinon/Samyang f2.8 wide angles and also the sigma arts.

I found the shutter clunk on the D800 significantly worse than my D600 and that was a new one I could have got for £1250 last year brand new. The D810 did improve on that noticeably,which for me is a big enough deal especially if there are animals around(which being in Wales there are plenty of - the sheep and deer can be quite jumpy) and where the OP is located in.

So if the OP decides on a secondhand camera - the D810 is worth the extra IMHO.

 

[shaggyd]

I had hoped to get a Nikon D750, but seems to be sold out in most UK stockist at the moment. But I agree with above comments, Nikon have fallen behind with competition. I disagree with their policy of releasing new models with minor tweaks. I would love them to release a new model every few years, that is a major advancement, such as the D750 should really be a D650, not this incremental rubbish.